US3227433A - Metallurgical furnaces for very high temperatures - Google Patents

Metallurgical furnaces for very high temperatures Download PDF

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Publication number
US3227433A
US3227433A US213569A US21356962A US3227433A US 3227433 A US3227433 A US 3227433A US 213569 A US213569 A US 213569A US 21356962 A US21356962 A US 21356962A US 3227433 A US3227433 A US 3227433A
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United States
Prior art keywords
vessel
crucible
upper portion
aperture
plate
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Expired - Lifetime
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US213569A
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English (en)
Inventor
Huet Henri
Delange Maurice
Vertes Paul
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27B—FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • F27B14/00—Crucible or pot furnaces
    • F27B14/08—Details specially adapted for crucible or pot furnaces
    • F27B14/10—Crucibles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J19/0006—Controlling or regulating processes
    • B01J19/0013—Controlling the temperature of the process
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B60/00—Obtaining metals of atomic number 87 or higher, i.e. radioactive metals
    • C22B60/02—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides
    • C22B60/0204—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium
    • C22B60/0213—Obtaining thorium, uranium, or other actinides obtaining uranium by dry processes
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27B—FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • F27B11/00—Bell-type furnaces
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27B—FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • F27B14/00—Crucible or pot furnaces
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27B—FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • F27B5/00—Muffle furnaces; Retort furnaces; Other furnaces in which the charge is held completely isolated
    • F27B5/04—Muffle furnaces; Retort furnaces; Other furnaces in which the charge is held completely isolated adapted for treating the charge in vacuum or special atmosphere
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J2219/00049—Controlling or regulating processes
    • B01J2219/00051—Controlling the temperature
    • B01J2219/00074—Controlling the temperature by indirect heating or cooling employing heat exchange fluids
    • B01J2219/00087—Controlling the temperature by indirect heating or cooling employing heat exchange fluids with heat exchange elements outside the reactor
    • B01J2219/00094—Jackets
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J2219/00049—Controlling or regulating processes
    • B01J2219/00051—Controlling the temperature
    • B01J2219/0015—Controlling the temperature by thermal insulation means
    • B01J2219/00155—Controlling the temperature by thermal insulation means using insulating materials or refractories
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J2219/00049—Controlling or regulating processes
    • B01J2219/00162—Controlling or regulating processes controlling the pressure

Definitions

  • the present invention relates in a general way to those metallurgical furnaces which consist of a crucible and a bell, and are used for carrying out processes for the manufacture of chemical substances obtained as a result of a high-temperature reaction developed in the midst of a mixture.
  • the invention relates to furnaces of this type designed for the production of very pure uranium by the known processes involving a highly exothermic reaction between uranium tetrafluoride and a reducing metal, such as calcium.
  • furnaces comprising a collecting crucible arranged underneath and as an extension of a receptacle open at the bottom, the crucible and the receptacle being made of a material which does not react with uranium, and which is entirely surrounded by a refractory material contained in an envelope which may be fluid-tight, and which forms a bell at the upper part of the receptacle.
  • the refractory material utilized is calcium fluoride, which, in point of fact, does not react either with the reacting substances or with the metal obtained. Moreover its mechanical behavior at temperatures of the order of 1800 C. is adequate, at least for some hours.
  • the ingot obtained requires, on account of the condition of its surface, a subsequent mechanical treatment, and that moreover the complete cycle of the furnace, on account of the slowness of the cooling, extends over a period of about two days.
  • the object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a furnace of the type set forth, which does not exhibit the serious disadvantages mentioned. With this end in view, it consists essentially in shaping and arranging in the usual manner the vessel with an open bottom initially containing the greater part of the mixture of reacting substances, and then in arranging the crucible in a novel manner such that its cooling is effected rapidly as soon as the molten metal has collected therein.
  • a furnace for the production of a very pure metallurgical product by reaction at a very high temperature in the midst of a mixture of reacting substances comprising a vessel open at the bottom, which is lined with a refractory material and isolated from the exterior by a bell, and a crucible beneath this vessel, is characterized by the feature that the crucible is arranged in a jacket provided with cooling means.
  • the crucible is placed in a jacket forming the lower part of the furnace, and provided with fins, which effect the cooling of the crucible, While also increasing the mechanical strength of this part of the furnace.
  • the cooling of the fins is effected by air, or by a circulation of water, for example.
  • a furnace according to the invention also exhibits other particular and advantageous characteristics, designed in particular to facilitate its operation under a controlled atmosphere.
  • the furnace comprises: a thick steel plate supporting the aforementioned jacket of the crucible, the said plate having a central aperture, through which passes the lower part, with fins, of the jacket of the crucible; and a bell crowning the upper part of the crucible, and provided at its base with an annularfiange to be fixed to a corresponding part of the supporting plate, the fluidtightness between the flange and the plate being obtained by means of a system of two concentric sealing joints.
  • FIG. 1 represents in axial section a production furnace with bell and crucible according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 shows in detail the method of fixing the bell of the furnace upon a supporting plate, and the sealing system utilized
  • FIG. 3 is a view in section on the line IIIIII in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 shows one method of utilizing a production furnace such as that of FIGS. 1 to 3.
  • the furnace illustrated comprises a thick steel supporting plate 1, resting upon legs 2.
  • the plate 1 supports a crucible jacket or vessel 3, the lower cylindrical and frusto-conical parts of which are provided with fins 4.
  • a bell 5 covers the upper part of the crucible jacket 3, and, through the medium of an annular flange 6, rests upon the supporting plate 1.
  • the bell 5 is equipped: with piping 7 connected to a vacuum pump, not shown; with piping 8 for the supply of inert gas, such as argon; with a pressure and vacuum gauge 9; with a lateral aperture 10 connected to a pressure-control system, not shown; with an ignition system 11; with a peripheral deflector 12 of generally frusto-conical configuration, r..- turning to the crucible any particles splashed out; and with baffle plate 13 enabling any splashes that may have been able to escape from the jacket to be collected in the trough 39 mounted on the outer periphery of the vessel 3 immediately below the opening in the baffle plate 13.
  • inert gas such as argon
  • a pressure and vacuum gauge 9 with a lateral aperture 10 connected to a pressure-control system, not shown
  • an ignition system 11 with a peripheral deflector 12 of generally frusto-conical configuration, r..- turning to the crucible any particles splashed out; and with baffle plate 13 enabling any
  • FIG. 2 the system of sealing and fixing the bell 5 upon the supporting plate 1 has been illustrated in detail.
  • the annular flange 6 is fixed to the plate 1 by screw-threaded bolts with lugs 14 provided with springs 15. Fluid-tightness is ensured by means of two spaced peripheral joints; a first joint 16 consisting of a metallic torus filled with gas under pressure, nitrogen for example, and serving as a thermal joint, and a second joint 17, which is a plastic joint, of india rubber for example, serving as a fluid-tight sealing joint.
  • a metallic crucible 18 of refractory steel is arranged at the bottom of the crucible jacket 3 (FIG. 1), connected to the upper part of the jacket 3 by chains 19.
  • the chained crucible 18 is placed in the bottom of the crucible jacket 3. Then the crucible proper 20 made of ceramic material, fritted calcium fluoride for example, is placed inside the crucible 18. It is in this crucible 20 that the uranium metal obtained will be collected.
  • a brasque or metallurgical cement 21 consisting, for instance, of. pulverulent fiuor-spar.
  • the shape is then withdrawn, and the space thereby left free is filled with uranium tetrafluoride and cuttings of calcium.
  • the reacting substances are arranged in alternate layers in the central part of the furnace and are intimately mixed in the upper and lower parts, in order to ensure a good start and a good finish respectively of the reaction.
  • the bell 5 is placed in position, and the closure thereof effected.
  • the vacuum is produced by means of the piping 7, and then argon is introduced through the pipe 8.
  • the reaction is started. The latter is almost instantaneous.
  • the furnace described above, and utilized in particular Y for the production of uranium metal presents numerous advantages, namely: (a) the part of the crucible 20 situated underneath the supporting plate and designed to receive the product obtained is supported from a mechanical point of view by the metallic crucible 18 and the lower part of the jacket 3, the fins 4 of which facilitate rapid cooling, either by air or by water; (b) the use of a supporting plate such as the plate 1 enables the sealing system to be located in a cool zone, thus obviating the necessity for cooling the joints; (0) the use of calibrated springs 15 ensures protection of the apparatus in the event of an abnormal excess pressure, in the interior of the furnace; (d) the locating of the closure system of the furnace on a peripheral part of the plate 1 renders it possible to provide, between the bell and the crucible, a clearance space which serves as a butter, and absorbs the sudden differences of pressure before the system of control that may be connected to the aperture 10 can come into operation; (e) it is possible to carry out the reaction in a
  • FIG. 4 a movable furnace 23 has been shown, brought to the stage of cooling in a conduit 24, through which a current of water passes.
  • the furnace 23 may be brought into the conduit 24, either with a transporting carriage, or by means of a lifting system attached to hooks 25, or by sliding upon rails 26.
  • the bell After some hours of cooling, the bell is raised, and the ingot obtained, which may for instance weigh about kilograms, and which is surmounted by a mushroom-like head of slag, is drawn out by means of the chains.
  • the slag is detached very easily from the fragments of crucibles still adhering thereto, by means of a scaling hammer for example.
  • the furnace described renders it possible to obtain, with a quantitative efficiency of the order of 93 or 99 percent, an ingot having a sufficiently clean surface, and of such purity that it can be passed on, without other treatment, to the operations of forging, wiredrawing or other extrusion processes, with a view to converting it into bars, or lining elements for nuclear reactors.
  • a furnace for the production of a very pure metallurgical product by the reaction at very high temperatures of a mixture of reacting substances comprising: a reaction vessel having the upper portion thereof lined with refractory material, said upper portion of said vessel having its upper end open for char ing said vessel with said mixture of reacting substances and for removing the product resulting from the reaction of said reacting substances; a ceramic collecting crucible in the lower portion of said vessel with the upper edge of said crucible in contact with the lower edge of said refractory lining, to form a continuous lining for said vessel said crucible being disposed beneath said upper portion and being in continuous open communication with the interior of said upper portion for receiving therefrom the product of said substances reacting therein; and a jacket forming the lower portion of said vessel, said jacket closely surrounding and confining the walls of said collecting crucible and being provided with cooling means for cooling said crucible and product, a horizontal support plate having an aperture therein, said upper portion of said vessel having a cross section larger than said aperture and said lower portion having
  • seals comprising a continuous metallic tube filled with fluid under pressure forming a thermal barrier and the outer of said seals comprising a resilient annulus forming a fluid seal.
  • a furnace for the production of very pure metallurgical product by the reaction at very high temperatures of a mixture of reacting substances comprising: a reaction vessel having the upper portion thereof lined with refractory material, said upper portion of said vessel having its upper end open for charging the same with said mixture of reacting substances; a removable bell mounted in spaced surrounding relation around said vessel providing a sealed vacuum chamber therearound to insulate said vessel from the exterior; a collecting crucible in said vessel disposed beneath said upper portion and communicating with the interior thereof; a jacket forming the lower portion of said vessel surrounding said collecting crucible and being provided with cooling means, a metallic crucible disposed between said collecting crucible and Said jacket; and non-extensible, metallic means for manipulating said metallic crucible attached at one end thereof to the upper edge of said metallic crucible and with the other end thereof extending upwardly to adjacent the upper edge of said vessel with the intermediate portion of said metallic means embedded in said refractory lining; said crucible being removable from said vessel only through said open upper end.
  • a furnace for the production of a very pure metallurgical product by the reaction at very high temperatures of a mixture of reacting substances comprising: a reaction vessel having the upper portion thereof lined with refractory material, said upper portion of said vessel having its upper end open for charging said vessel with said mixture of reacting substances and for removing the product resulting from the reaction of said reacting substances; a removable bell mounted in spaced surrounding relation around said vessel and providing a sealed vacuum chamber therearound to insulate said vessel from the exterior; a ceramic collecting crucible in the lower portion of said vessel with the upper edge of said crucible in contact with the lower edge of said refractory lining to form a continuous lining for said vessel, said crucible being disposed beneath said upper portion and being in continuous open communication with the interior of said upper portion for receiving therefrom the product of said substances reacting therein; a collecting trough carried on the exterior wall of said vessel, said collecting trough extending entirely around the periphery of said vessel intermediate the upper and lower extremities thereof, and being secured to the
  • a furnace for the production of a very pure metallurgical product by the reaction at very high temperatures of a mixture of reacting substances comprising: a reaction vessel having the upper portion thereof lined with refractory material, said upper portion of said vessel having its upper end open for charging said vessel with said mixture of reacting substances and for removing the product resulting from the reaction of said reacting substances; a ceramic collecting crucible in the lower portion of said vessel with the upper edge of said crucible in contact with the lower edge of said refractory lining to form a continuous lining for said vessel, said crucible being disposed beneath said upper portion and being in continuous open communication with the interior of said upper portion for receiving therefrom the product of said substances reacting therein; and a jacket forming the lower portion of said vessel, said jacket closely surrounding and confining the walls of said collecting crucible and being provided with cooling means for cooling said crucible and product, a horizontal support plate having an aperture therein, said upper portion of said vessel having an upper part with a cross section larger than said aperture and a lower
  • a furnace for the production of a very pure metallurgical product by the reaction at very high temperatures of a mixture of reacting substances comprising: a reaction vessel having the upper portion thereof lined with refractory material, said upper portion of said vessel having its upper end open for charging said vessel with said mixture of reacting substances and for removing the product resulting from the reaction of said reacting substances; a ceramic collecting crucible in the lower portion of said vessel with the upper edge of said crucible in contact with the lower edge of said refractory lining to form a continuous lining for said vessel, said crucible being disposed beneath said upper portion and being in continuous open communication with the interior of said upper portion for receiving therefrom the product of said substances reacting therein; a jacket forming the lower portion of said vessel; a metallic crucible disposed between said collecting crucible and said jacket, the lower edge of said refractory lining being in contact with the upper edge of both of said crucibles forming a continuous lining for said vessel, said jacket closely surrounding and confining the walls of

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Crucibles And Fluidized-Bed Furnaces (AREA)
US213569A 1958-03-24 1962-07-23 Metallurgical furnaces for very high temperatures Expired - Lifetime US3227433A (en)

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FR761335 1958-03-24

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US (1) US3227433A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE576277A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH369900A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR1199617A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
LU (1) LU36958A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL105827C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3419259A (en) * 1966-03-03 1968-12-31 Offshore Engineering Corp Apparatus for carrying out well drilling operations from floating structures
DE9016340U1 (de) * 1990-12-01 1991-02-28 Elektro-Thermit Gmbh, 4300 Essen Reaktionstiegel zur Durchführung metallothermischer Reaktionen

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US921972A (en) * 1908-11-27 1909-05-18 Emil Gathmann Ingot-mold.
US2085450A (en) * 1934-04-23 1937-06-29 Rohn Wilhelm Apparatus for producing metallic ingots
US2089030A (en) * 1933-04-09 1937-08-03 Kratky Anton Method for the production of bodies of extreme hardness
US2323265A (en) * 1938-03-28 1943-06-29 Hartford Empire Co Container for molten glass
US2407047A (en) * 1944-10-20 1946-09-03 Blaw Knox Co Furnace closure
DE880210C (de) * 1951-01-11 1953-06-18 Univ Bruxelles Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Uranium
US2709842A (en) * 1951-07-06 1955-06-07 Gordon R Findlay Apparatus for continuous casting of high-melting-point metals
GB780974A (en) * 1954-03-05 1957-08-14 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Improvements in or relating to the production of uranium metal
US2971871A (en) * 1958-01-29 1961-02-14 Midland Ross Corp Annealing furnace seal

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US921972A (en) * 1908-11-27 1909-05-18 Emil Gathmann Ingot-mold.
US2089030A (en) * 1933-04-09 1937-08-03 Kratky Anton Method for the production of bodies of extreme hardness
US2085450A (en) * 1934-04-23 1937-06-29 Rohn Wilhelm Apparatus for producing metallic ingots
US2323265A (en) * 1938-03-28 1943-06-29 Hartford Empire Co Container for molten glass
US2407047A (en) * 1944-10-20 1946-09-03 Blaw Knox Co Furnace closure
DE880210C (de) * 1951-01-11 1953-06-18 Univ Bruxelles Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Uranium
US2709842A (en) * 1951-07-06 1955-06-07 Gordon R Findlay Apparatus for continuous casting of high-melting-point metals
GB780974A (en) * 1954-03-05 1957-08-14 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Improvements in or relating to the production of uranium metal
US2971871A (en) * 1958-01-29 1961-02-14 Midland Ross Corp Annealing furnace seal

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3419259A (en) * 1966-03-03 1968-12-31 Offshore Engineering Corp Apparatus for carrying out well drilling operations from floating structures
DE9016340U1 (de) * 1990-12-01 1991-02-28 Elektro-Thermit Gmbh, 4300 Essen Reaktionstiegel zur Durchführung metallothermischer Reaktionen

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Publication number Publication date
CH369900A (fr) 1963-06-15
BE576277A (fr) 1959-07-01
FR1199617A (fr) 1959-12-15
LU36958A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1959-05-04
NL105827C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1963-09-16

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